La Strada - Criterion Collection Leo Cattozzo, Federico FelliniStudio: Image Entertainment Release Date: 11/18/2003 Run time: 108 minutes8 1/2 - Criterion Collection Federico FelliniStudio: Image Entertainment Release Date: 12/04/2001 Run time: 138 minutesAmarcord - Criterion Collection Federico FelliniFederico Fellini's 1974 fantasy-memoir of life in his hometown during the Fascist era is basically the full palette of experience—sex, families, politics—with his surreal twist. As a general picture of the 1930s community carrying on rituals but with an element of government harshness in the air, the film is quite memorable (especially in scenes set around the town square). Less satisfying is Fellini's tighter focus on certain, forgettable individuals. The ironic title translates into, "I remember," but here memory is more a matter of loving vision than actuality. —Tom KeoghAnd the Ship Sails On - Criterion Collection Federico FelliniEssential Fellini Federico FelliniFellini - Satyricon Federico FelliniStudio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 07/24/2007 Run time: 129 minutes Rating: RFellini Satyricon Federico FelliniFederico Fellini’s career achieved new levels of eccentricity and brilliance with this remarkable, controversial, extremely loose adaptation of Petronius’s classical Roman satire, written during the reign of Nero. An episodic barrage of sexual licentiousness, godless violence, and eye-catching grotesquerie, Fellini Satyricon follows the exploits of two pansexual young men—the handsome scholar Encolpius and his vulgar, insatiably lusty friend Ascyltus—as they move through a landscape of free-form pagan excess. Creating apparent chaos with exquisite control, Fellini constructs a weird old world that feels like science fiction.Fellini's Roma Federico FelliniA virtually plotless gaudy impressionistic portrait of rome through the eyes of one of its most famous citizens. Blending autobiography (a reconstruction of fellinis own arrival in rome during the mussolini years: a trip to a brothel & a music hall) with scenes from present-day roman life. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 07/24/2007 Run time: 119 minutes Rating: RLa Dolce vita Federico FelliniAt three brief hours, La Dolce Vita, a piece of cynical, engrossing social commentary, stands as Federico Fellini's timeless masterpiece. A rich, detailed panorama of Rome's modern decadence and sophisticated immorality, the film is episodic in structure but held tightly in focus by the wandering protagonist through whom we witness the sordid action. Marcello Rubini (extraordinarily played by Marcello Mastroianni) is a tabloid reporter trapped in a shallow high-society existence. A man of paradoxical emotional juxtapositions (cool but tortured, sexy but impotent), he dreams about writing something important but remains seduced by the money and prestige that accompany his shallow position. He romanticizes finding true love but acts unfazed upon finding that his girlfriend has taken an overdose of sleeping pills. Instead, he engages in an ménage à trois, then frolics in a fountain with a giggling American starlet (bombshell Anita Ekberg), and in the film's unforgettably inspired finale, attends a wild orgy that ends, symbolically, with its participants finding a rotting sea animal while wandering the beach at dawn. Fellini saw his film as life affirming (thus its title, The Sweet Life), but it's impossible to take him seriously. While Mastroianni drifts from one worldly pleasure to another, be it sex, drink, glamorous parties, or rich foods, they are presented, through his detached eyes, are merely momentary distractions. His existence, an endless series of wild evenings and lonely mornings, is ultimately soulless and facile. Because he lacks the courage to change, Mastroianni is left with no alternative but to wearily accept and enjoy this "sweet" life. —Dave McCoyLa Dolce Vita Federico FelliniOrchestra Rehearsal Federico FelliniLegendary Italian director Federico Fellini (La Dolce Vita, Amarcord) offered up this departure in 1979, centering on the travails of an orchestra and the relationships within it. Aiming for a more sober, studied approach than in his other work, Fellini explores the dynamics of the musicians as they prepare for a concert under the tutelage of a belligerent conductor. Shooting in the style of a television documentary with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, Fellini manages to create the subtly absurdist humor he is known for while still drawing parallels to modern society from this troupe of musicians. Featuring the lush musical score of longtime collaborator Nino Rota (The Godfather) and Fellini's unique visuals, The Orchestra Rehearsal is a must for both fans of the director and the uninitiated. —Robert LaneThe Voice of the Moon Federico FelliniThe swansong of the great Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (La dolce vita, 8½), The Voice of the Moon emerged without fanfare: it played the Cannes Film Festival out of competition after its Italian premiere and failed to secure distribution in North America and the UK. This new restoration from the original negative seeks to right that wrong and provide the film with a second chance...
Adapted from a novel by Ermano Cavazzoni, The Voice of the Moon concerns itself with Ivo Salvini (Roberto Benigni, Life Is Beautiful), recently released from a mental hospital and in love with Aldini (Nadia Ottaviani). As he attempts to win her heart, he wanders a strange, dreamlike landscape and encounters various oddball characters, including Gonnella (Paolo Villagio, Fantozzi), a paranoid old man prone to conspiracy theories.
Concluding a career that had stretched back more than fifty years, The Voice of the Moon combines the nostalgia of Amarcord (the film is set in Emilia-Romagna countryside of the director s youth), the surreal satire of City of Women and the naïf-adrift-in-a-brutal-world structure of La strada. Plenty for Fellini fans to get their teeth into.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements, produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this releaseHigh Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentationsOriginal 1.0 mono sound (uncompressed on the Blu-ray)Optional English subtitlesTowards the Moon with Fellini, a rarely seen hour-long documentary on the film s production, featuring interviews with Fellini, Roberto Benigni and Paolo VillagioTheatrical trailerReversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter StrainFIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Pasquale IannoneI Clowns Frederico FelliniEssential Art House Vol. 2 - Janus Films Marcel Camus;Francois Truffaut;Akira Kurosawa;Federico Fellini;Michael Powell;Emeric Pressburger;Anthony Asquith;Leslie HowardJanus Films and the Criterion Collection are pleased to present more selections from the Essential Art House line: indispensable cinema classics in simple, affordable editions. For Volume II, we re pleased to select six of the greatest films from around the world, from directors François Truffaut Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Marcel Camus, Anthony Asquith, and Powell & Pressburger. All will be available separately, or in one box set. For the devoted cinephile, these are the must-own fundamentals; for the novice film-lover, this is precisely where to begin.
Includes films: Black Orpheus, The 400 Blows, Ikiru, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Pygmalion, La stradaEssential Art House, Volume Five David Lean, Federico Fellini, François Truffaut, Gillo Pontecorvo, Milos FormanThese elegant, movie-only DVD editions of the true classics of art house cinema are a practical, lower-cost alternative to the more elaborate Criterion Collection special editions. Available individually or in box sets of six, Essential Art House editions of the touchstones of world cinema feature beautiful digital transfers, accompanied by informative liner notes. For the devoted cinephile, these are the must-own fundamentals; for the novice film lover, this is precisely where to begin. |
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